Daijiworld Media Network - Jerusalem
Jerusalem, Feb 24: In a historic revelation, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has unveiled the map of a two-state solution he proposed to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in 2008—a deal that could have changed the course of history.
The plan offered a Palestinian state on 94% of the West Bank, with land swaps compensating for Israeli annexations. Jerusalem was to be shared, with the Old City placed under an international trusteeship involving Israel, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the US. A corridor would have connected the West Bank and Gaza.
However, the deal never materialized. Abbas refused to sign without consulting experts, and Olmert—embroiled in a corruption scandal—soon resigned. By early 2009, Benjamin Netanyahu had taken office, and the plan faded into obscurity.
Now, with tensions at an all-time high, Olmert's map stands as yet another missed opportunity in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.